RESUMO
Photoreceptor degeneration is a major cause of untreatable blindness worldwide and has recently been targeted by emerging technologies, including cell- and gene-based therapies. Cell types of neural lineage have shown promise for replacing either photoreceptors or retinal pigment epithelial cells following delivery to the subretinal space, while cells of bone marrow lineage have been tested for retinal trophic effects following delivery to the vitreous cavity. Here we explore an alternate approach in which cells from the immature neural retinal are delivered to the vitreous cavity with the goal of providing trophic support for degenerating photoreceptors. Rat and human retinal progenitor cells were transplanted to the vitreous of rats with a well-studied photoreceptor dystrophy, resulting in substantial anatomical preservation and functional rescue of vision. This work provides scientific proof-of-principle for a novel therapeutic approach to photoreceptor degeneration that is currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
Assuntos
Retina , Degeneração Retiniana , Transplante de Células-Tronco , Animais , Ratos , Degeneração Retiniana/terapia , Degeneração Retiniana/patologia , Transplante de Células-Tronco/métodos , Humanos , Retina/patologia , Retina/metabolismo , Células-Tronco/citologia , Células-Tronco/metabolismo , Células Fotorreceptoras de Vertebrados/metabolismo , Células Fotorreceptoras de Vertebrados/patologia , Células Fotorreceptoras de Vertebrados/transplante , Modelos Animais de DoençasRESUMO
At least six microRNAs (miRNAs) appear to be encoded by the latency-associated transcript (LAT) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). The gene for ICP0, an important immediate early (IE) viral protein, is anti-sense to, and overlaps with, the region of LAT from which miRNA H2 (miR-H2) is derived. We recently reported that a mutant (McK-ΔH2) disrupted for miR-H2 on the wild-type HSV-1 strain McKrae genomic background has increased ICP0 expression, increased neurovirulence, and slightly more rapid reactivation. We report here that HSV-1 mutants deleted for the LAT promoter nonetheless make significant amounts of miR-H2 during lytic tissue culture infection, presumably via readthrough transcription from an upstream promoter. To determine if miR-H2 might also play a role in the HSV-1 latency/reactivation cycle of a LAT-negative mutant, we constructed dLAT-ΔH2, in which miR-H2 is disrupted in dLAT2903 without altering the predicted amino acid sequence of the overlapping ICP0 open reading frame. Similar to McK-ΔH2, dLAT-ΔH2 expressed more ICP0, was more neurovirulent, and had increased reactivation in the mouse TG explant-induced reactivation model of HSV-1 compared with its parental virus. Interestingly, although the increased reactivation of McK-ΔH2 compared with its parental wild-type (wt) virus was subtle and only detected at very early times after explant TG induced reactivation, the increased reactivation of dLAT-ΔH2 compared with its dLAT2903 parental virus appeared more robust and was significantly increased even at late times after induction. These results confirm that miR-H2 plays a role in modulating the HSV-1 reactivation phenotype.
Assuntos
Herpesvirus Humano 1/genética , Herpesvirus Humano 1/patogenicidade , Proteínas Imediatamente Precoces/genética , MicroRNAs/genética , RNA Viral/genética , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/genética , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Feminino , Regulação Viral da Expressão Gênica , Herpes Simples/patologia , Herpes Simples/virologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/metabolismo , Humanos , Proteínas Imediatamente Precoces/metabolismo , Camundongos , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Neurônios/patologia , Neurônios/virologia , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , RNA Viral/metabolismo , Técnicas de Cultura de Tecidos , Gânglio Trigeminal/patologia , Gânglio Trigeminal/virologia , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/metabolismo , Virulência , Ativação Viral/genética , Latência Viral/genéticaRESUMO
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency-associated transcript (LAT) encodes several microRNAs. One of these, miR-H2, overlaps and is antisense to the ICP0 gene and appears to decrease expression of the ICP0 protein. To determine if miR-H2 plays a role in the HSV-1 latency-reactivation cycle, we constructed a mutant, McK-ΔH2, in which this microRNA has been disrupted without altering the predicted amino acid sequence of ICP0. McK-ΔH2 produced increased amounts of ICP0. Although replication of McK-ΔH2 was similar to that of its wild-type (wt) McKrae parental virus in RS cells and mouse eyes, McK-ΔH2 was more neurovirulent in Swiss-Webster mice than McKrae based on the percent of mice that died from herpes encephalitis following ocular infection. In addition, using a mouse trigeminal ganglia (TG) explant model of induced reactivation, we show here for the first time that miR-H2 appears to play a role in modulating HSV-1 reactivation. Although the percent of TG from which virus reactivated by day 10 after explant was similar for McK-ΔH2, wt McKrae, and the marker-rescued virus McK-ΔH2Res, at earlier times, significantly more reactivation was seen with McK-ΔH2. Our results suggest that in the context of the virus, miR-H2 downregulates ICP0 and this moderates both HSV-1 neurovirulence and reactivation.
Assuntos
Regulação Viral da Expressão Gênica/genética , Herpes Simples/genética , MicroRNAs/genética , RNA Viral/genética , Ativação Viral/genética , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Feminino , Herpesvirus Humano 1/patogenicidade , Herpesvirus Humano 1/fisiologia , Proteínas Imediatamente Precoces/biossíntese , Proteínas Imediatamente Precoces/genética , Immunoblotting , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Transgênicos , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/biossíntese , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/genética , Virulência , Latência Viral/genéticaRESUMO
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency-associated transcript (LAT) blocks apoptosis and inhibits caspase-3 activation. We previously showed that serum starvation (removal of serum from tissue culture media), which takes several days to induce apoptosis, results in decreased levels of both AKT (protein kinase B) and phosphorylated AKT (pAKT) in cells not expressing LAT. In contrast in mouse neuroblastoma cells expressing LAT, AKT, and pAKT levels remained high. AKT is a serine/threonine protein kinase that promotes cell survival. To examine the effect of LAT on AKT-pAKT using a different and more rapid method of inducing apoptosis, a stable cell line expressing LAT was compared to non-LAT expressing cells as soon as 15 min following recovery from cold-shock-induced apoptosis. Expression of LAT appeared to inhibit dephosphorylation of pAKT. This protection correlated with blocking numerous pro-apoptotic events that are inhibited by pAKT. These results support the hypothesis that inhibiting dephosphorylation of pAKT may be one of the pathways by which LAT protects cells against apoptosis.
Assuntos
Apoptose/fisiologia , Herpes Simples/virologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/fisiologia , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismo , Latência Viral , Animais , Western Blotting , Linhagem Celular , Temperatura Baixa , Camundongos , Neurônios/metabolismo , Neurônios/virologia , Fosforilação , Ativação Viral/fisiologia , Latência Viral/fisiologiaRESUMO
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency-associated transcript (LAT) is the only HSV-1 gene transcript abundantly expressed throughout latency. LAT null mutants have a significantly reduced reactivation phenotype. LAT's antiapoptosis activity is the major LAT factor involved in supporting the wild-type reactivation phenotype. During HSV-1 latency, some ganglionic neurons are surrounded by CD8 T cells, and it has been proposed that these CD8 T cells help maintain HSV-1 latency by suppressing viral reactivations. Surprisingly, despite injection of cytotoxic lytic granules by these CD8 T cells into latently infected neurons, neither apoptosis nor neuronal cell death appears to occur. We hypothesized that protection of latently infected neurons against cytotoxic CD8 T-cell killing is due to LAT's antiapoptosis activity. Since CD8 T-cell cytotoxic lytic granule-mediated apoptosis is critically dependent on granzyme B (GrB), we examined LAT's ability to block GrB-induced apoptosis. We report here that (i) LAT can interfere with GrB-induced apoptosis in cell cultures, (ii) LAT can block GrB-induced cleavage (activation) of caspase-3 both in cell culture and in a cell-free in vitro cell extract assay, and (iii) LAT can protect C1300 and Neuro2A cells from cytotoxic CD8 T-cell killing in vitro. These findings support the hypothesis that LAT's antiapoptosis activity can protect latently infected neurons from being killed by CD8 T-cell lytic granules in vivo.
Assuntos
Apoptose , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Citotoxicidade Imunológica , Granzimas/imunologia , Herpes Simples/imunologia , Herpes Simples/fisiopatologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/fisiologia , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Neurônios/citologia , Animais , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/enzimologia , Linhagem Celular , Granzimas/genética , Herpes Simples/enzimologia , Herpes Simples/virologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/genética , Humanos , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , MicroRNAs/genética , Neurônios/virologia , Ativação ViralRESUMO
Following ocular herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection of C57BL/6 mice, HSV-specific (HSV-gB(498-505) tetramer(+)) CD8(+) T cells are induced, selectively retained in latently infected trigeminal ganglia (TG), and appear to decrease HSV-1 reactivation. The HSV-1 latency-associated transcript (LAT) gene, the only viral gene that is abundantly transcribed during latency, increases reactivation. Previously we found that during latency with HSV-1 strain McKrae-derived viruses, more of the total TG resident CD8 T cells expressed markers of exhaustion with LAT(+) virus compared to LAT(-) virus. Here we extend these findings to HSV-1 strain 17syn+-derived LAT(+) and LAT(-) viruses and to a virus expressing just the first 20% of LAT. Thus, the previous findings were not an artifact of HSV-1 strain McKrae, and the LAT function involved mapped to the first 1.5 kb of LAT. Importantly, to our knowledge, we show here for the first time that during LAT(+) virus latency, most of the HSV-1-specific TG resident CD8 T cells were functionally exhausted, as judged by low cytotoxic function and decreased gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) production. This resulted in LAT(-) TG having more functional HSV-gB(498-505) tetramer(+) CD8(+) T cells compared to LAT(+) TG. In addition, LAT expression, in the absence of other HSV-1 gene products, appeared to be able to directly or indirectly upregulate both PD-L1 and major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) on mouse neuroblastoma cells (Neuro2A). These findings may constitute a novel immune evasion mechanism whereby the HSV-1 LAT directly or indirectly promotes functional exhaustion (i.e., dysfunction) of HSV-specific CD8(+) T cells in latently infected TG, resulting in increased virus reactivation.
Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/imunologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/patogenicidade , Evasão da Resposta Imune , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Gânglio Trigeminal/virologia , Latência Viral , Animais , Citotoxicidade Imunológica , Feminino , Interferon gama/metabolismo , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismoRESUMO
PURPOSE: One of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disorder leading to retinal degeneration. While several treatment options exist for the exudative form of AMD, there are currently no FDA-approved treatments for the more common nonexudative (atrophic) form. Mounting evidence suggests that mitochondrial damage and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell death are linked to the pathogenesis of AMD. Human retinal progenitor cells (hRPCs) have been studied as a potential restorative therapy for degenerative conditions of the retina; however, the effects of hRPC treatment on retinal cell survival in AMD have not been elucidated. METHODS: In this study, we used a cell coculture system consisting of hRPCs and AMD or age-matched normal cybrid cells to characterize the effects of hRPCs in protecting AMD cybrids from cellular and mitochondrial damage and death. RESULTS: AMD cybrids cocultured with hRPCs showed (1) increased cell viability; (2) decreased gene expression related to apoptosis, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and antioxidant pathways; and (3) downregulation of mitochondrial replication genes compared to AMD cybrids without hRPC treatment. Furthermore, hRPCs cocultured with AMD cybrids showed upregulation of (1) neuronal and glial markers, as well as (2) putative neuroprotective factors, responses not found when hRPCs were cocultured with age-matched normal cybrids. CONCLUSION: The current study provides the first evidence that therapeutic benefits may be obtainable using a progenitor cell-based approach for atrophic AMD. Our results suggest that bidirectional interactions exist between hRPCs and AMD cybrids such that hRPCs release trophic factors that protect the cybrids against the cellular and mitochondrial changes involved in AMD pathogenesis while, conversely, AMD cybrids upregulate the release of these neuroprotective factors by hRPCs while promoting hRPC differentiation. These in vitro data provide evidence that hRPCs may have therapeutic potential in atrophic AMD.
RESUMO
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency-associated transcript (LAT) is expressed abundantly in latently infected sensory neurons. LAT-deletion-mutant virus strains have reduced-reactivation phenotypes in small animal models of infection, demonstrating that LAT plays an important role in the latency-reactivation cycle of HSV-1. Previous studies demonstrated that the anti-apoptosis functions of LAT are important for regulating the latency-reactivation cycle because three different anti-apoptosis genes can substitute for LAT. Although LAT inhibits caspase 3 activation, the signalling pathway by which LAT inhibits caspase 3 activation was not identified. In this study, we analysed mouse neuroblastoma cells (C1300) that express LAT stably (DC-LAT6 cells) following serum starvation. As expected, DC-LAT6 cells were resistant to apoptosis following serum withdrawal. Levels of total and phosphorylated AKT (protein kinase B), a serine/threonine protein kinase that promotes cell survival, were higher in DC-LAT6 cells after serum withdrawal than in C1300 cells or a cell line stably transfected with a LAT promoter mutant (DC-DeltaLAT311). A specific AKT inhibitor reduced the anti-apoptosis functions of LAT and phosphorylated AKT levels. After serum withdrawal, more DC-LAT6 cells sprouted neurites and exhibited a differentiated morphology. NeuN (neuronal nuclei), a neuron-specific nuclear protein, was expressed abundantly in DC-LAT6 cells, but not C1300 cells, after serum withdrawal, further supporting the concept that LAT enhanced neuronal-like morphology. Collectively, these studies suggested that LAT, directly or indirectly, maintained total and phosphorylated AKT levels, which correlated with increased cell survival and mature neuronal-like morphology.
Assuntos
Apoptose , Herpesvirus Humano 1/fisiologia , Neuritos/fisiologia , Neuroblastoma/patologia , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/fisiologia , Latência Viral , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Meios de Cultura Livres de Soro , Camundongos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/análise , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/antagonistas & inibidoresRESUMO
Latency-associated transcript (LAT) deletion mutants of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) have reduced reactivation phenotypes. Thus, LAT plays an essential role in the latency-reactivation cycle of HSV-1. We have shown that LAT has antiapoptosis activity and demonstrated that the chimeric virus, dLAT-cpIAP, resulting from replacing LAT with the baculovirus antiapoptosis gene cpIAP, has a wild-type HSV-1 reactivation phenotype in mice and rabbits. Thus, LAT can be replaced by an alternative antiapoptosis gene, confirming that LAT's antiapoptosis activity plays an important role in the mechanism by which LAT enhances the virus' reactivation phenotype. However, because cpIAP interferes with both of the major apoptosis pathways, these studies did not address whether LAT's proreactivation phenotype function was due to blocking the extrinsic (Fas-ligand-, caspase-8-, or caspase-10-dependent pathway) or the intrinsic (mitochondria-, caspase-9-dependent pathway) pathway, or whether both pathways must be blocked. Here we constructed an HSV-1 LAT(-) mutant that expresses cellular FLIP (cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein) under control of the LAT promoter and in place of LAT nucleotides 76 to 1667. Mice were ocularly infected with this mutant, designated dLAT-FLIP, and the reactivation phenotype was determined using the trigeminal ganglia explant model. dLAT-FLIP had a reactivation phenotype similar to wild-type virus and significantly higher than the LAT(-) mutant dLAT2903. Thus, the LAT function responsible for enhancing the reactivation phenotype could be replaced with an antiapoptosis gene that primarily blocks the extrinsic signaling apoptosis pathway.
Assuntos
Proteína Reguladora de Apoptosis Semelhante a CASP8 e FADD/metabolismo , Herpes Simples/virologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/genética , Herpesvirus Humano 1/fisiologia , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Fenótipo , Animais , Apoptose , Linhagem Celular , Olho/virologia , Feminino , Regulação Viral da Expressão Gênica , Genoma Viral/genética , Camundongos , Coelhos , Análise de Sobrevida , Ativação Viral/genéticaRESUMO
During herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) latency in sensory neurons, LAT (latency-associated transcript) is the only abundantly expressed viral gene. LAT plays an important role in the HSV-1 latency-reactivation cycle, because LAT deletion mutants have a significantly decreased reactivation phenotype. Based solely on sequence analysis, it was speculated that LAT encodes a ribozyme that plays an important role in how LAT enhances the virus' reactivation phenotype. Because LAT ribozyme activity has never been reported, we decided to test the converse hypothesis, namely, that this region of LAT does not encode a ribozyme function important for LAT's ability to enhance the reactivation phenotype. We constructed a viral mutant (LAT-Rz) in which the speculated ribozyme consensus sequence was altered such that no ribozyme was encoded. We report here that LAT-Rz had a wild-type reactivation phenotype in mice, confirming the hypothesis that the speculated LAT ribozyme is not a dominant factor in stimulating the latency-reactivation cycle in mice.
Assuntos
Herpes Simples/virologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/enzimologia , MicroRNAs/genética , RNA Catalítico/genética , Latência Viral/genética , Animais , Herpesvirus Humano 1/genética , Camundongos , Mutação Puntual , Ativação Viral/genéticaRESUMO
AIM: Recurrent herpetic stromal keratitis (rHSK), due to an immune response to reactivation of herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), can cause corneal blindness. The development of therapeutic interventions such as drugs and vaccines to decrease rHSK have been hampered by the lack of a small and reliable animal model in which rHSK occurs at a high frequency during HSV-1 latency. The aim of this study is to develop a rabbit model of rHSK in which stress from elevated temperatures increases the frequency of HSV-1 reactivations and rHSK. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rabbits latently infected with HSV-1 were subjected to elevated temperatures and the frequency of viral reactivations and rHSK were determined. RESULTS: In an experiment in which rabbits latently infected with HSV-1 were subjected to ill-defined stress as a result of failure of the vivarium air conditioning system, reactivation of HSV-1 occurred at over twice the normal frequency. In addition, 60% of eyes developed severe rHSK compared to <1% of eyes normally. All episodes of rHSK were preceded four to five days prior by an unusually large amount of reactivated virus in the tears of that eye and whenever this unusually large amount of reactivated virus was detected in tears, rHSK always appeared 4-5 days later. In subsequent experiments using well defined heat stress the reactivation frequency was similarly increased, but no eyes developed rHSK. CONCLUSIONS: The results reported here support the hypothesis that rHSK is associated not simply with elevated reactivation frequency, but rather with rare episodes of very high levels of reactivated virus in tears 4-5 days earlier.
Assuntos
Substância Própria/virologia , Resposta ao Choque Térmico/fisiologia , Herpesvirus Humano 1/fisiologia , Ceratite Herpética/virologia , Lágrimas/virologia , Ativação Viral/fisiologia , Latência Viral/fisiologia , Animais , DNA Viral/análise , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Feminino , Coelhos , Recidiva , Eliminação de Partículas ViraisRESUMO
PURPOSE: Using CJLAT, a chimeric herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) that produces a high incidence of herpes stromal keratitis (HSK) in latently infected rabbits, and in vivo confocal microscopy (CM), we characterized the cellular events that precede the development of HSK. METHODS: Thirty days after infection, in vivo CM was performed daily for 10 days and then weekly for up to 80 days after infection. RESULTS: We detected 3 types of subclinical corneal lesions before HSK was clinically apparent: (1) small epithelial erosions; (2) regenerating epithelium overlying small cell infiltrates within the basal epithelial cell layer; and (3) dendritic-like cells within the basal epithelial layer overlying stromal foci containing infiltrating cells. Sequential in vivo CM observations suggested that subclinical foci resolved over time but were larger and more abundant with CJLAT than with wild-type HSV-1 McKrae. Active HSK was observed only with CJLAT and was initially associated with a large epithelial lesion overlying stromal immune cell infiltrates. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that replication in the cornea of reactivated virus from the trigeminal ganglia produces epithelial lesions, which recruit immune cell infiltrates into the basal epithelial layer and anterior stroma. The virus is usually cleared rapidly eliminating viral antigens before the arrival of the immune cells, which disperse. However, if the virus is not cleared rapidly, or if an additional reactivation results in an additional round of virus at the same site before the immune cells disperse, then the immune cells are stimulated and may induce an immunopathological response leading to the development of HSK.
Assuntos
Substância Própria/patologia , Infecções Oculares Virais/patologia , Ceratite Herpética/patologia , Microscopia Confocal/métodos , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Feminino , Seguimentos , Coelhos , RecidivaRESUMO
Evidence indicates that overexpression of cyclin D1 is an important event in malignant transformation of breast cancer cells. Therefore, cyclin D1 is a potential target for mechanistically-based chemoprevention/treatment of breast cancer. Treatment of serum-stimulated quiescent MCF-7 breast cancer cells with cyclopentenone (2-cyclopenten-1-one) blocked progression through G1 and into S phase. Growth arrest of the cyclopentenone-treated cells in G1 was associated with changes in the levels of several proteins that control the cell cycle, including a dramatic decrease in cyclin D1 protein expression. Cyclopentenone also decreased the abundance of cyclin D1 mRNA and nuclear transcripts, indicating that it regulated cyclin D1 expression at the transcriptional level. Cyclopentenone selectively inhibited the activity of the cyclin D1 and cyclin A promoters but not the activity of several other control promoters. Deletion analysis indicated that the cyclopentenone response element was located in the cyclin D1 core promoter. Additional functional studies showed that a sequence within the core promoter (CycY, located downstream from the initiator element) played an important role in activation of the cyclin D1 promoter in MCF-7 cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated specific binding of the transcription factor BTEB to the CycY site. The cyclopentenone response element did not correspond to the CycY site but rather mapped to the initiator element itself. The overall results suggest that cyclopentenone interferes with the transcription initiation complex that assembles over the cyclin D1 initiator element, leading to selective inhibition of cyclin D1 gene transcription.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Ciclo Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Ciclopentanos/farmacologia , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Genes bcl-1/genética , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Animais , Sequência de Bases , Sítios de Ligação , Western Blotting , Ciclina D1/genética , Ciclina D1/metabolismo , Ensaio de Desvio de Mobilidade Eletroforética , Citometria de Fluxo , Fase G1/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Ligação Proteica , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Elementos de Resposta/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Fase S/efeitos dos fármacos , Deleção de Sequência/genética , Homologia de Sequência do Ácido Nucleico , Sítio de Iniciação de Transcrição , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency associated transcript (LAT) gene has anti-apoptosis activity that directly or indirectly enhances the virus's reactivation phenotype in small animal models. The first 1.5 kb of the primary 8.3 kb LAT is sufficient and some or all of it is necessary for LAT's anti-apoptosis in transient transfection assays and for LAT's ability to enhance the reactivation phenotype. Based on LAT's genomic sequence, the first 1.5 kb contains eight potential open reading frames (ORFs) defined as an ATG followed by an in frame termination codon. In this study, point mutations were introduced into the ATGs of ORFs present in the 1.5 kb fragment of LAT. Mutagenesis of all eight ATGs in LAT ORFs consistently reduced the anti-apoptotic activity of LAT in transiently transfected mouse neuroblastoma cells regardless of whether apoptosis was induced by caspase 8 or caspase 9. Mutation of the six ATGs located in the stable intron sequences within the 1.5 kb LAT had a dramatic effect on caspase 9, but not caspase 8, induced apoptosis. For both caspase 8 and caspase 9 induced apoptosis, mutating the two ATGs in the exon of the LAT 1.5 kb fragment reduced, but did not eliminate the anti-apoptotic activity of LAT. These studies suggest that altering the fine structure of regulatory RNA or expression of a putative LAT ORF regulates the anti-apoptosis activity of LAT. These studies also indicate that more than one function is present in the 1.5 kb LAT fragment.
Assuntos
Apoptose , Códon de Iniciação , Herpesvirus Humano 1/genética , Herpesvirus Humano 1/metabolismo , Mutação Puntual , Proteínas Virais/genética , Proteínas Virais/metabolismo , Animais , Caspase 8/metabolismo , Caspase 9/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular , Éxons , Genes Virais , Íntrons , Camundongos , MicroRNAs , Neurônios/virologia , Fases de Leitura AbertaRESUMO
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency associated transcript (LAT) gene's anti-apoptosis activity plays a central, but not fully elucidated, role in enhancing the virus's reactivation phenotype. In transient transfection experiments, LAT increases cell survival following an apoptotic insult in the absence of other HSV-1 genes. However, the high background of untransfected cells has made it difficult to demonstrate that LAT inhibits specific apoptotic factors such as caspases. Here we report that, in mouse neuroblastoma cell lines (C1300) stably expressing high levels of LAT, cold shock induced apoptosis was blocked as judged by increased survival, protection against DNA fragmentation (by DNA ladder assay), and inhibition of caspase 3 cleavage and activation (Western blots). To our knowledge, this is the first report providing direct evidence that LAT blocks two biochemical hallmarks of apoptosis, caspase 3 cleavage and DNA laddering, in the absence of other HSV-1 gene products.
Assuntos
Inibidores de Caspase , Temperatura Baixa , Fragmentação do DNA , Herpesvirus Humano 1/imunologia , Proteínas Virais/imunologia , Animais , Apoptose , Western Blotting , Caspase 3/análise , Linhagem Celular , Sobrevivência Celular , Camundongos , MicroRNAs , Neurônios/química , Proteínas Virais/biossíntese , Proteínas Virais/genéticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Although reduced expression levels of annexin I (ANX I) protein is a common finding in all stages of prostate cancer a causative relationship between ANX I dysregulation and prostate cancer development has yet to be established. METHODS: Annexin I expression was restored in LNCaP and MDA PCa 2b that normally express low or undetectable levels of ANX I protein. The impact of restoring ANX I expression on cell viability, colony formation in soft agar, apoptosis, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) activation was examined. RESULTS: Restoring ANX I expression reduced cell viability, colony formation, in addition to inducing apoptosis. The proliferative response of epidermal growth factor was blocked by restoring ANX I expression. Furthermore, increasing basal and induced levels of phosphorylated p38 and JNK were observed in prostate cancer cells following restoration of ANX I expression. CONCLUSIONS: Annexin I may have tumor suppressor functions in prostate cancer. The pro-apoptotic effect of ANX I involves the activation of p38 and JNK, which appears to shift the balance of signal transduction away from proliferation and toward apoptosis.
Assuntos
Anexina A1/metabolismo , Apoptose/fisiologia , Neoplasias da Próstata/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais/fisiologia , Anexina A1/genética , Apoptose/genética , Linhagem Celular , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Sobrevivência Celular/genética , Sobrevivência Celular/fisiologia , Progressão da Doença , Fator de Crescimento Epidérmico/farmacologia , MAP Quinases Reguladas por Sinal Extracelular/genética , MAP Quinases Reguladas por Sinal Extracelular/metabolismo , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/genética , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/fisiologia , Humanos , MAP Quinase Quinase 4/genética , MAP Quinase Quinase 4/metabolismo , Masculino , Neoplasias da Próstata/genética , Neoplasias da Próstata/patologia , Transdução de Sinais/genética , Acetato de Tetradecanoilforbol/farmacologia , Proteínas Quinases p38 Ativadas por Mitógeno/genética , Proteínas Quinases p38 Ativadas por Mitógeno/metabolismoRESUMO
The D-group cyclins play a key role in the progression of cells through the G(1) phase of the cell cycle. Treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells with the cyclopentenone prostaglandin 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ(2) (15d-PGJ(2)) results in rapid down-regulation of cyclin D1 protein expression and growth arrest in the G(0)/G(1) phase of the cell cycle. 15d-PGJ(2) also down-regulates the expression of cyclin D1 mRNA; however, this effect is delayed relative to the effect on cyclin D1 protein levels, suggesting that the regulation of cyclin D1 occurs at least partly at the level of translation or protein turnover. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with 15d-PGJ(2) leads to a rapid increase in the phosphorylation of protein synthesis initiation factor eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha (eIF-2alpha) and a shift of cyclin D1 mRNA from the polysome-associated to free mRNA fraction, indicating that 15d-PGJ(2) inhibits the initiation of cyclin D1 mRNA translation. The selective rapid decrease in cyclin D1 protein accumulation is facilitated by its rapid turnover (t(1/2) = 34 min) after inhibition of cyclin D1 protein synthesis. The half-life of cyclin D1 protein is not significantly altered in cells treated with 15d-PGJ(2). Treatment of cells with 15d-PGJ(2) results in strong induction of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene expression, suggesting that 15d-PGJ(2) might activate protein kinase R (PKR), an eIF-2alpha kinase shown previously to be responsive to agents that induce stress. 15d-PGJ(2) strongly stimulates eIF-2alpha phosphorylation and down-regulates cyclin D1 expression in a cell line derived from wild-type mouse embryo fibroblasts but has an attenuated effect in PKR-null cells, providing evidence that PKR is involved in mediating the effect of 15d-PGJ(2) on eIF-2alpha phosphorylation and cyclin D1 expression. In summary, treatment of MCF-7 cells with 15d-PGJ(2) results in increased phosphorylation of eIF-2alpha and inhibition of cyclin D1 mRNA translation initiation. At later time points, repression of cyclin D1 mRNA expression may also contribute to the decrease in cyclin D1 protein.